PLAYLIST #2: 10 HOT GRIME TRACKS

Grime is a genre of music that I really really like, but people don’t really know what it’s all about (as it’s not necessarily mainstream in the US). If you Wikipedia Grime you’ll learn all about how it started in East London and whatever. The important part is that it integrates a sort of dancehall beat that is all chopped up. Grime isn’t necessarily rap or hip-hop, there are some pretty cool bands that fall under the Grime genre as well. Here are 10 ahhmazin tracks for you to get to know the genre:

1. Dizzee Rascal -- Bonkers. Dizzee is the king of Grime. He is one of the first to make it mainstream and chart in the UK. Bonkers is one of his more recent singles, and definitely demonstrates the cut-up feel of the genre.

2. Hadouken! – Turn the Lights Out. Hadouken! Is an example of a grime band that isn’t necessarily hip-hop or rap. Turn the Lights Out is a fast paced jam that totally warrants the use of lots of lasers in a performance.

3. Chipmunk – Diamond Rings ft. Emeli Sande. Chipmunk is one of the pioneers of the genre, along with Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Stryder, that has helped made Grime more mainstream in the UK. This is one of Chipmunk’s first big singles.

4. Tinchy Stryder – Take Me Back ft. Taio Cruz. This is my favorite Tinchy song. If you listen closely you’ll definitely hear the dance track on the back, with Tinchy and Taio going over the top with a more hip-hop feel. Hot.

5. Griminal – Invincible. This song is another great example of how Grime artists cut up the beat. There is a definite stop/start feeling to the rap bits, very cool.

6. Wiley – Take That. This song can get a little annoying, but it exemplifies Grime amazingly. And some of the rhymes are pretty sick. “I saw a member of the group Take That!” I love that line ;-)

7. Lady Sovereign – Love Me or Hate Me. Bet you didn’t realize Lady Sovereign was Grime. She is. Better believe it.

8. Kano – Against All Odds by Chase and Status. This isn’t Kano’s original song, it’s actually a Chase and Status dub-step masterpiece, and a bit of a crossover between the Grime world and the dub-step world. Definitely a hot track.

9. The Streets – Let’s Push Things Forward. Classic. The Streets is ahhmazin, I had the hardest time trying to pick a good tune that would fit the playlist, they are all excellent.

10. Tinchy Stryder – Number 1 ft. N-Dubz. Tinchy is so amazing I needed to put two of his tracks on here. This track features Dappy from N-Dubz, an artist that has a unique style unmatched by most in the industry.